Correct info - wait until the light goes off unless an emergency situation - then restart it when possible. Allows the ECM to initialize.

 

SKRATCH - When I bought my '01 RK was told this from the dealer on purchase - Maybe 6 months later set a code and took it to the Shop and was questioned if I waited for the light to go off before starting - They cleared the codes and it never returned...
Happened also to another friends bike "05 Ultra - SAME STORY...

 

There is an earlier thread from Shovelhead Bob explaining whyyou shouldwait for the light to go out before you hit the starter.

 

If you had to wait for the lite to go out it would say so in the manual. Ever see all those warnings about this and that.

That salesman who sold you the bike might have worked at Burger King last week.

You can't compare a 01-04 to a 07.

If the ECM needed to reset itself, it would not take it 4 seconds.

 

i'll look for that.

i am not pretending to be an expert in the matter, and i am always open to learn. however, wasn't there a memo posted earlier from some pd saying that they got with hd and that not waiting for the light would not hurt anything?

also, it just seems to me that if it was what you had to do that the manual would specifically put a note in their saying something to the effect of: warning, not waiting for the engine light to extinguish before hitting the starter button will result in increased global warming, your hot neighbor will move out and some skanky crack hoe will move in etc...

kind of like this one: warning-do not operate vehicle with forks locked. locking the forks restricts the vehicles turning ability, which could result in death or serious injury.

 

Here it is:

The CEL (Check Engine Light) is an indicator of a SYSTEMS CHECK...

Just like booting up your home PC......

When you initiate the start sequence, you are powering all components up to their required levels, engage the Run/Stop switch, now you are ACTIVATING the ECM to begin it Enviromental/Systems/Actuator check process....

The sensors in the TBI unit need to gather atmospheric data, the fuel pump spools up to 55 psi, the ION sense is engaged, injectors are primed, and IAC applies the required amount of steps to accomodate a proper Fuel Start value with the ET....

By "Beating the Clock", you are temporarily cheating the ECM into thinking that the enviromental aspects are what they are when the system is energized, and they (Sensors), don't have a chance to level out their readings....

Does this hurt the vehicle, prolly not, as once the bike is running, the sensors will continue sending data to the ECM for the actuators to follow, but it is unknown if it affects the ECMs operation, as it is not allowed to do a FULL BOOT SEQUENCE......

FWIW, Jamie, as well as Powercommander will say that the PC does NOT INTERCEPT the signals that have to do with the start up sequence..... Seems as though there are a few here that are experiencing something that is not supposed to happen... Hmmmmmm...

 

that may be so, but i think its a matter of what people are perceiving to happen. the pciii may not be intercepting the signals, but the power to the pciii is definitely being shut off, then when you hit the start button, it has to go through its start up sequence again.

so technically speaking, it isn't intercepting those signals, but a different one?

 

Well put me in the not waiting catagory. I turn the key and hit the start button on all my bikes! Seems to be the same if I wait or don't wait. Personally I like not waiting. I used to do that with the RK and read somewhere it didn't matter so I haven't done it since.

 

I have no idea. I was just reposting what was mentioned by an experienced HD tech.

 

It has nothing to do with the time. My 99 with the M&M FI from day one andbefore the PCIII went on would flood out when starting it up whenthe motor washot. So to remey this problem I was told to turn on ignition, turn on the run switch and hit the starter righ away. Bike starts right up this way instead of cranking over and over, having to open thethrottle and about passing out from the gas fumes because it gets flooded. Since installing the PCIII the hard starting problem when hot is still there so i do not wait for the light.